Let's start with some facts:
H. William DeWeese, in addition to the crimes for which he was convicted, was as complicit as anyone in Harrisburg in awarding taxpayer-funded bonuses as a reward for campaign volunteers. We know this, first of all, because of the way the legislative caucuses operate: no caucus money can be released without the authorization of the Leader. More importantly, we know this - and Tom Corbett, then attorney-general and gubernatorial candidate, knew in the fall of 2007 - because DeWeese turned over incriminating email (including the infamous "U R welcome" email) in which he explicitly acknowledged paying a bonus "for campaigning."
The cache of evidence was turned over as part of a "negotiation" between Corbett and DeWeese. The terms of the negotiation have never been revealed - and apparently no journalist in Harrisburg is the least bit curious about it. We know that DeWeese dropped the legal challenges he'd sworn to take all the way to the Supreme Court, which could have delayed Corbett's investigation of the caucus for years. We know that DeWeese quietly removed campaign fundraiser Kevin Sidella from the state payroll and began paying him, from campaign funds, the equivalent of his state salary.
We know DeWeese used a state-paid contractor for political work.
And we know that DeWeese never was charged in connection with any of the evidence turned over as part of the "negotiation."
Journalists never have asked DeWeese about the terms of the "negotiation," his reasons for dropping the legal challenges, or the circumstances of Sidella's sudden move from state payroll to campaign contractor.
Despite the fact that DeWeese spent months obstructing Corbett's investigation, in the aftermath of the "negotiation," DeWeese began claiming that he'd cooperated from the beginning. No journalist ever has pointed out the contradicition.
Although DeWeese steadfastly has maintained his innocence in the crimes for which Mike Veon was tried, he was excused from testifying at Veon's trial under the Fifth Amendment. If he's innocent, why did he plead the Fifth? That's a question we've never heard a Harrisburg journalist ask.
In response to a Tweet, Dennis Owens today asked us, What questions did you want asked? Here's a list:
- What were the terms of the 2007 negotiation with Corbett's office?
- What were the terms of the 2007 negotiation with Corbett's office? (We really want to know the answer to this one)
- Why did you drop your legal challenges to the investigation?
- How can you claim you cooperated with Corbett when you tried to block the investigation?
- Why did you move Kevin Sidella from state payroll to campaign funds just before firing other staffers, and why were you paying him the exact equivalent of his state salary?
- Why did you plead the Fifth during Veon's trial?
- Do you still consider Veon's indictment "one of the best days of [your] life?
- Have you found anyone to balance your checkbook and buy your condoms for you?
Add your own questions in the comments.
12 comments:
Everyone involved in the mishandling of the Bonus Gate Prosecutions and Sandusky allegations MUST come to realize that PA is not some remote developing nation.
Frank Fina, former Chief Deputy Attorney General, who conducted the investigations against Ramaley, Veon, DeWeese and Sandusky in 2009 and prosecuted the case in 2012, spoke with CBS’s Armen Keteyian during an interview that was partially aired on September 3, 2013.
Frank Fina and co-prosecutor Joe McGettigan spoke to Keteyian about former Penn State officials Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, and Graham Spanier.
These three men have been indicted on several charges relating to the Sandusky investigation.
These charges were directed under then Chief Deputy Attorney General Fina.
During the discussion of these former Penn State officials, Fina said, “Of course we, we come to realize they’re actively involved obstructing our investigation.
Keteyian responds, “They’re obstructing justice.”
“Yeah. And they had been for many years,” replied Fina.
"Now they're going to be tried on that... But I investigated that case," Fina said of former University President Graham Spanier, retired senior vice president Gary Schultz and former Athletic Director Tim Curley.
"They deserved to be charged, and I hope justice will be served there."
Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct
Rule 3.8 deals with Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor.
The rule states as follows:
The prosecutor in a criminal case shall:
(e) except for statements that are necessary to inform the public of the nature and extent of the prosecutor's action and that serve a legitimate law enforcement purpose, refrain from making extrajudicial comments that have a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused and exercise reasonable care to prevent investigators, law enforcement personnel, employees or other persons assisting or associated with the prosecutor in a criminal case from making an extrajudicial statement that the prosecutor would be prohibited from making under Rule 3.6 or this Rule.
Although it is unclear whether Rule 3.8 applies to former prosecutors, Fina’s comments does violate Rule 3.6.
Rule 3.6 states: “[a] lawyer who is participating or has participated in the investigation or litigation of a matter shall not make an extrajudicial statement that the lawyer knows or reasonably should know will be disseminated by means of public communication and will have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding in the matter.”
WE ARE a nation of due process, innocence until PROVEN guilty by a court of law, and unbiased and equal justice for all.
How on this earth, in the 21st century, could state prosecutors ever think it is OK to say on national TV what they've just said about a case that has not yet been tried???
Once again, unbelievable.
I don't get the theory for why the OAG would "negotiate" with the Leader, to go after lesser figures in the caucus. I thought they went after lesser figures to get them to turn on the higher figures. What is the accomplishment of getting DeWeese sanitized evidence to go after DeWeese lieutenants, and a bunch of corporals and privates? This has a strange odor to it.
DeWeese threw a bunch of staffers under the bus to avoid being looked at - and he even failed at that. His sentence, for far worse, was incredibly short compared to Veon's; but maybe that's the reward for not working hard or caring about government business.
There are a couple of reasons Corbett would make a deal with DeWeese to go after "lesser figures." Although nothing was done without DeWeese's knowledge and consent, Veon was the one who made things happen, so it was easy for DeWeese and his minions to persuade clueless Corbett that Veon was "the real leader." Also, DeWeese was screwing up Corbett's timeline with his legal challenges. Without the deal, Corbett might not have been able to make any arrests in time for his 2008 re-election or perhaps not even before the 2010 gubernatorial election.
Signor - do you really think that Corbett was clueless? Perzel, DeWeese and Veon have something in common. They were not prosecuted until after they were out of power. Veon was out of power and out office before Perzel and DeWeese, but Corbett only took on individuals who could no longer be useful and do him any good in the legislature.
Politics, not the law.
Signor Ferrari said...
"There are a couple of reasons Corbett would make a deal with DeWeese to go after "lesser figures." Although nothing was done without DeWeese's knowledge and consent, Veon was the one who made things happen, so it was easy for DeWeese and his minions to persuade clueless Corbett that Veon was "the real leader." Also, DeWeese was screwing up Corbett's timeline with his legal challenges. Without the deal, Corbett might not have been able to make any arrests in time for his 2008 re-election or perhaps not even before the 2010 gubernatorial election. September 5, 2013 at 10:08 AM"
Actually, Corbett' current Re-Election is in peril due to Veon, DeWeese, and Perzel having been targets for Corbett's Political Power that made everyone cringe?
Yet, by going after these carefully selected legislators, Corbett ignored the Sandusky Investigation and Sam Smith and Senate and Second Mile alleged crimes.
Today the people he ignored are biting Corbett's collective campaign butt, and in the end Corbett may have caught himself?
Corbett should have done the right thing, but chose the wrong path, and is now in darkness!
Governor Tom Corbett was the Attorney General when the Sandusky investigation was transferred from Centre County to his office in Strawberry Square.
And even though Corbett is no longer the AG, his order put a halt to the Curley/Schultz/Spanier preliminary hearing one day early.
A well placed source close the Governor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that Corbett had stationed a staffer at the hearings to provide him with updates during the proceedings. Corbett's remarks during these reports expressed disappointment with the prosecution's presentation to the point that Corbett attempted to call off the proceedings after the first day.
Corbett was said to be on edge, waiting to hear how the last two witnesses, Kimberly Belcher and John Corro, performed.
Belcher had agreed to testify with a grant of immunity, so Corbett felt confident she would drive nails in the coffin of Schultz. But the report Corbett received at the end of the day was not at all as he expected.
Belcher and Corro had not only cleared PSU officials of some of the obstruction of justice charges, but had exposed Corbett's pal Louis Freeh as a liar.
http://notpsu.blogspot.com/
Let's talk about those donations that came from now indicted PA Cyber School founder Nick Trombetta via funds from Avanti Management Group and see who they went to:
Tom Corbett $5,000
Elder Vogel $2,500
Jim Christiana $2,500
Eugene DePasquale $2,500
Jacob Corman III $2,000
So here you have it folks. Your tax dollars ended up in the campaign accounts of the above politicians.
Let's see if Corbett and crew offer to give the money back.
Personally ask our locals, Jim Christiana and Elder Vogel if they will give the money back to the people.
people and Politicians had been hearing for years the rumors about PA Cyber, grade inflation, nepotism and overpaid employees that do little or nothing for their work.
The exploitation of Indian Schools in New Mexico to fill their pockets in Beaver County was missed by Ag Corbett after he got a $5,000 Contribution?
What ever happened to the Federal whistle-blower case against Attorney General Corbett?
Four more years of Corbett? What is the betting line?
85%
60&
50-50
40&
25&
<than 15%
Any takers?
In 2009, Attorney General Tom Corbett indicted 10 Republicans in a case known as "Computergate."
In order to gain an advantage in the courtroom, Corbett's prosecutors destroyed numerous witness and proffer notes without recording the details of the sessions in the Report of Criminal Investigation ROI). They ignored their own policy.
This is a clear threat to all citizens of Pennsylvania. Please examine the hypocrisy of the law enforcement responsibilities of the Attorney General under Corbett.
The case of former House Member Brett Feese was reported recently in the Patriot News. Josh Lock is his attorney.
No one is safe when the courts allow the prosecutors to destroy evidence. Our freedoms are in jeopardy.
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